At the present time home use medical products such as ostomy pouches are disposed of by placing the soiled article in a garbage receptacle where it is collected on a daily, bi-weekly, or other regular basis. This method of disposal would be enhanced if the pouch or other device were formed of degradable materials. A further benefit would be obtained if the pouch or other device were sufficiently flexible so that it could be disposed of by flushing in a conventional toilet. Of course, the user must be confident that the device will be flushed and pass through the plumbing system.
Keyes et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,738 disclose a flushable ostomy pouch made from a laminate of hot water soluble polyvinyl alcohol and water resistant tissue paper. Flushability is increased by incorporating a surfactant within the laminate or adding a surfactant to the toilet water before flushing. Flushability is also increased by wrapping the ostomy pouch in a film or placing the ostomy pouch within a bag or sleeve of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, etc.
Holmes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,620,999 discloses disposable ostomy bags formed from 3-hydroxybutyrate polymers or laminates of polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene oxide film and 3-hydroxybutyrate. The user must raise the pH of the bag contents to at least 12 prior to disposal.
Martini et al. in European Patent Application 226,439 disclose biodegradable films suitable for use in ostomy pouches consisting of copolymers of beta hydroxy butyric acid and beta hydroxy valeric acid as melt extruded films. This film may be laminated with other films to increase strength or impermeability.
Martini et al. in European Patent Application 273,611 disclose a laminate suitable for a flushable ostomy pouch comprising a laminate of polyvinyl alcohol or polyethylene oxide with a thin coextruded film comprising a melt-bondable layer such as an ethylene vinyl acetate and an impermeable layer such as polyvinylidene chloride.
Brooks et al. in U.K. Patent Application 2,185,404A and U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,279 disclose a flush disposable ostomy pouch having a double sided adhesive faceplate for attachment to the body. The pouch is formed of a laminate of cold water soluble polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinylidene chloride.
Cross et al. in U.K. Patent Application 2,195,919A disclose a laminate which is unaffected by contact with water of neutral pH but is degraded on contact with an alkali added to the toilet bowl. The laminate has a central layer of polyvinyl alcohol, an inner layer made up of at least two coats of a blend of polyvinylidene chloride acrylonitrile copolymer with carboxylated acrylic copolymer and an outer layer of at least two coatings of carboxylated acrylic acid.
Cross et al. in U.K. Patent Application 2,201,372A disclose a flush disposable ostomy bag formed from an inner layer of polyethylene and an outer layer of polyvinyl alcohol. Two flexible layers of aluminium are located between the inner and outer layers to reduce odor transmission.
Kiefer in European Patent No. 10,171B discloses a flushable, disintegratable ostomy pouch made from a multi-layer foil. The inner layer which contacts the body waste is a water-insoluble film-forming material such as polyethylene. The middle layer is of a water soluble material such as polyvinyl alcohol or partially saponified polyvinyl acetate. The outer layer may have water-repellent characteristics and be a material which disintegrates in water when additionally subjected to mechanical means such as kraft paper.
Samways et al. in British Patent No. 2,083,762B disclose a disposable ostomy pouch formed of a composite sheet material comprising an outwardly-presented mechanically strong, backing layer which has good tensile strength and cohesion when dry but which is dissolved or dispersed when immersed in mildly turbulent water and an inwardly-presented mechanically weak but water-impermeable layer. The outer layer can be low wet strength paper or preferably a plastic film such as polyethylene oxide or polyvinyl alcohol. The polyvinyl alcohol may be plasticized and may be a hot-water soluble grade. Materials suitable for forming the water-impermeable layer include polyvinylidene chloride, Saran, nitrocellulose, waxes, pressure sensitive adhesive for example a solution of rubber latex in an organic solvent, etc.
Samways in U.K. Patent Application 2,193,925A discloses a flush disposable sheet material suitable for use as an ostomy bag comprising a 30 to 40 micron water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol film laminated to a 12 to 22 micron water-insoluble polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride film.
Potts in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,372,311 and 4,503,098 disclose disposable articles made from water soluble polymers coated with a degradable water-insoluble polymer suitable for use in diapers, catamenial devices, sanitary napkins, bandages, etc. The water soluble polymer is selected from poly(alkylene oxide), hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, etc. The degradable water-insoluble polymer is selected from a cyclic ester polymer, a poly (.beta.-hydroxy butyrate), dialkanoyl polymers, and ethylene polymers.
Griffin in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,016,117, 4,021,388, 4,125,495, 4,218,350, 4,324,709, and 4,420,576 discloses biodegradable compositions including a synthetic resin and a granular filler such as natural starch.